Automobile top and curtain construction



. raw w 9 2 P 1 5 E E w W1 8 WM AUTOMOBILE LOP AND CURTAIN CGNSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 20, '2 Sheets-6mm 1 A3 I mwmu R. H. STOBBE AUTOMOBILE TOP AND CURTAIN CONSTRUCTION May 24, 1927.

Filed Jan. 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2\ Fatente'd May 24, 1927.

RUDOLPH HENRY STOBBE,

'01 ST. CLAIRSVILLE, OHIO.

AUTOMOBILE TO]? AND CURTAIN CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed January 20, 1925. Serial No. 3,622.

The present invention relates to an improved top construction for automobiles and like vehicles wherein curtains are pro ded which may be easily and quickly moved to either a closed or open position.

'Another important object of the invention is to provide a combined structure "of this nature wherein, when the curtains are closed, they may be hinged with the doors of the automobile or like vehicle so that a quick entrance or exit-may be made.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a curtain structure which has incorporated. therein means Whereby the curtain may be stiliened when in a closed position so that it may freely and properly swing with the door of the vehicle, said stiffening means being movable to a po sition which will allow the cu'rtain to have proper flexibility when being moved to its open or out-oft e way osition.

A still further very important object of the invention is to provide a construction of this nature which is both simple and efficient, one which is reliable in use and operaticn, inexpensive tomamifacture and con struct --easy to ciianipulata not liable to readily get out of order strong, durable, and

well adapted for the p 'rpose for which it is designed. M

llith the above andr rcus other ob jects in View as willhppe r s description proceeds, the inventi ides 1n cernovel features of consti. ion and "in the combination and arraugen that will hereinafter be more fuliy and claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of an automobile body showing my improved top and curtain structure incorporated there'- in, v

vFig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section on an enlarged-scale taken substantially on the line 2-2, of Fig. 1, looking downwardly, v

i 2 3'is a detail vertical section through one s de of the top and aportion of the body,

showing the improved curtain structure,

Fig. 4c is a plan view of the inside of one of the front curtains,

.Fig. 5 is a similar View of one of the rear curtains,

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the top, and

Fig. '1 is an enlarged detail view taken substantially on the line 7-7, of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing in detail it will be seen that A designates the body of an automobile which is provided with the front door B and the rear door C on one side as is usual; In this description I shall only refer to one side of the body in view of the fact that the other side is identical therewith. The top T is more or less of conventional type, being of the permanent variety and at the rear is provided with permanent sides S adjacent the rear seat.

The "front of this top T is supported by the wind-shield standards R which are of a hollow construction as is shown to ad.- vantage in Fig. Qand the rear sides thereof are slotted as is indicated at 5 for a purpose which will. become evident as the description proceeds.

In Figs. 3 and 6 it will be noted that compartments 6 and 7 are provided on each side of'the top T and extend from the side edge thereof to a distance from the median longitudinal dimension of the top. The compartment 8 is disposed above the compartment 7 and forwardly thereof. The compartment 6 receives the front curtain and the compartment 7 the rear curtain of the corresponding. side of the car. Curtain brackets of suitable form are depended from the top '1 and support curtain rollers 9 of conventional construction. The rollers'9 are alincd with each other and are adapted to receive for winding thereon flexible strips or belts 10 preferably formed substantially U- shaped so'that the intermediate portions 11 may be attached to the curtains while the leg portions may wind about the rollers, the

ends being fixed thereto by any suitable as means. 1

The front curtain structure is shown to" advantage in Fig. 4 and includes the curtain proper 12 having therein a transparency of suitable material indicated at 13, a frame portion 14 which overlaps the inner surface of the curtain proper 12 and a vertical strip 21. A hinge bar 15 is hinged to a hinge pin 17. The hinge bar 15 is fixed to this frame portion 14.- by suitable fastening elements 18. A similarly constructed hinge bar 19 is supported along the upper edge of the curtain proper 12 by means of fastening elements "18 and is hinged to the hinge pin 17. The frame poron or strip 14 is form- IOU I and hoth et position within the ed as a part of the vertically exte .ling edge strip 21 as is also the curtain proper 12.

The lower edge of the curtain pro er 12 is provided with a stiffening rod 22. n 5 the structure of the rear curtain is shown to advantage. T he rear curtain includes the curtain proper 23 and the frame portion or strip 24, both. of \i hich are connected to the vertically extending strip 25 which is stitfened i a resilient and flexible rod 52%;. 'lhe lower edge of the curtain proper is also stiffened. by a similar rod 27. .A transparency 28 is provided in. the curtain proper 23. A hinge bar 15 is provided in the frame strip 2% as in the front curtain and. a hinge bar 19 provided adjacent the upper edge off the curtain roper 23 as in the Ll'Ollt curtain.

The frame strips 14: and 24; are sewed or otherwise permanently attached to the intermediate portion 11 of the flexible bolts '10 end the upper edges of the strips 14: and 24 are stifiened by resilient flexible rods shown in full lines in Fig. 5. As is shown to advantage in 4 and 5 taken with Fig. 7, the strips 14% and 2% are provided at their free ends and. strip :24 at its hinged end, with. pivoted rods 30 hea ing bifurelated lower ends ill for receiving the hinge hersf'ifi; thereby verticelly stiffening t-.ese

strips.

Y The curtains proper are provided. with pivoted stiffening hers 32 which terminate at their free ends in bifurcations 33. @ne of these hers 32 is pivoted as et 3% to the rear lower corner the tront curtain proper 1Q lower comers as at 35 and 3e oi the reel curtain proper 23. These here 3?, may supported in e horizontal position as shown in Fig. t, thus resting in clips 3? or they may he swung to the verticsl position shown in 5 at which time the bifurcated ends engage the hinge hare ll) as is disclosed to advantage in Fig". 2".

These hers 32 are adapted to be disposed in their vertical positions when the curtains are closed and. in their horizontal positions when the curtains are opened or shout to he moved to their open positions. When the curtains are close the angular plate is provided with on opening for receiving a suitable pin it extended from the respective door of the automobile body.

These angular plates 40 are provided with outwardly extending flanges or extensions 4:52 which are adapted to engage the edge of the top when the curtains are in on open compartments 6 and 7 so as to limit the upward movement thereof; and thus the rollers 9 will normally hold the curtains in the compartments (3 and 7 when the plates 40 are disengaged from pins ll. The stitl'ening rod 727 which extends througi the hettozu portion of the curtain proper 23 and the :tri p is formed.

insections hinged as at 4:5. This strip 25 overlaps the inner side of the curtain proper 12 when the curtains are in a closed position.

Granting that the open position and it is it is only necessary to pull the curtain by grasping the extensions l? and eingnising the plates 40 With the pins: l Then from the inside of the hotly the it itching bar-s may be disposed vertically as previously described. so as to give the proper stiffness to the curtains in order that they may swing with the doors B and 6 when they are opened. The rear curtain is disposed in the lower compartment, and the front curtain in. the upper compartment in order tlizurwlieii the curtains are lowered the strip 525 will he disposed inside of the tree end ot the curtain 12. The strip 21 slides in the respective standard R and is provided with loo iied elements 47 for preventing the accidental removal ot this strip 21 from the respective standard it and also to prevent its removal as the front door 15 is heing swung to an open position.

llhen it red to open the curtains the here 332 are swung to their horizontal position such as is heated in Fig. 4 so as to give sutticient flexibility to the curtains in order that they may he pulled into their respective compartments 6 and. i" by the conventional rollers 9 after having been released from engagement with pins ll, lit is thought that the operation and construction. of the invention Will he readily understood ithout more detailed description thereof. 3 will he apparent from the present emhortiment of the invention which ii hove described in considerable detail, that the device has a structiue which. when the curtains are closed the. combined top and curtains form practically a closed automobile and the doors thereof may be easily opened so that the curtains swing there with in order that easy exit and. entrenee curtains are in their desired to close'them. downwardly upon may he made without i'iccessity of raising,

the curtains. 7

It will also be apparent that It have provided eiiicient means for s'titlening the cur-- tains when in their closed position in order that they may e'lliciently swing with the thereof.

The preferred embodiment of the inven tion which I have described possesses a very simple and eiiieient construction which ernbodies all of the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the shove description. it is eiddent. however, that numerous changes in the details of construction, in the mote rials, and in the combinetion and arrangem toi. parts may he resorted to Withoiit l-parting from the spirit or scope of the claim as new isz-- In a curtain structure at the class de SCILbQd, 5x11131116 comprlsmg a honzoutal porctmn and e vertlenj. martian, a eurzein searingably attached to t 1:: vertical 130175021,

' a hinge be? attached to and extending longi- *udimlly of the horizontal portion, seeand binge bar extending ioxxgitudinahy 0f fixed to the upper ec ige of the curtain,

the ends of the hinge bars adjacent the vertical 'pormen bemg plveted iegethex', a pan 0i arms piveied at their lower ends in spacedreiation to the lower edge 0:? the curtain .andhaving theirupper ends bifurcated, the

biifm'cated ends the M2313 being adeyted w receive the hinge bar on fihe curtain.

In 'ieseimony vs'hex'eef I; mysign aizure.

LQDGLPH HEFZNRYSTGBBE. 

